Robbers Invade Home, Tie Up 2 Residents

PACOIMA — A home-invasion robbery early Wednesday sent a pistol-whipped victim to the hospital and detectives searching for two suspects, Los Angeles police said.

The robbery in the 9700 block of Telfair Avenue is the fourth of its kind in the last month in the east San Fernando Valley, but police said they have no evidence the robberies are connected.

About 2:40 a.m. Wednesday, two men entered the single-family home of a mother and her adult son, apparently through an unlocked door or window. They went to the son's room, where he was pistol-whipped several times across the back of the head. The woman was also hit once in the head, Foothill Division Det. Jim Bosse said.

The robbers tied up the mother and son and covered their faces before ransacking the home and fleeing with $200. The victims untied themselves and called police from a neighbor's home. The son told police he thought one of the suspects was wearing a ski mask.

The son was taken to Pacifica Hospital of the Valley in Sun Valley, where he was treated for cuts to the back of the head and released. The woman did not need medical treatment.

In another recent home invasion in Pacoima, two men gained entry by posing as police officers. The other home invasions took place in Burbank and North Hollywood. All remain under investigation.

Bosse advised residents to lock all doors and windows at night.

"Even though many people are tempted to leave a door or a window open due to the warm weather, people still need to pay attention to safety," he said.